Coroner investigating death of Quebec woman who died by suicide after battle with Lyme disease

Quebec's chief coroner has ordered a public inquiry into the death of Amélie Champagne, a 22-year-old woman who suffered from Lyme disease and took her own life on Sept. 11 in Montreal.

Since the death of the young woman, her father, Groupe Jean Coutu CEO Alain Champagne, has deplored in interviews the failures of the hospital system to take care of his suicidal daughter.

Champagne recently explained in a LinkedIn post that Lyme disease had "essentially kidnapped" his daughter Amélie.

"After years of medical wandering in Quebec -- and finally testing positive in the U.S. last June -- over time and despite recent treatments, the disease had progressed far beyond the many physical symptoms and was now having a severe impact on the brain," he wrote.

And after the young woman attempted to take her own life, the health-care system was reportedly unable to care for her, Champagne said in interviews.

Details of the coroner's inquest and dates for public hearings are not yet known.

The office of Chief Coroner Pascale Descary said Tuesday in a statement that the public hearings "will allow any person of interest to express their views on the circumstances of this death in order to analyze all contributing factors, with a view to proposing solutions for better protection of human life."

A coroner's inquest never makes a determination about a person's civil or criminal liability. Its purpose is to shed light on the cause and circumstances of death.

LIST OF MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES IN QUEBEC

If ever you need help, don't hesitate to reach out to:

• Your family doctor (if you have one)
• Your local CLSC, CISSS or CIUSSS: 811
• AMI-Quebec: 514-486-1448
• Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA): 514-521-4993
• Centre Interligne Inc.: (for issues related to sexual orientation): 514-866-0103
• Depressives Anonymous: 514-278-2130
• Groupe d'entraide pour un mieux-être: (GEME): 450-332-4463
• Quebec Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Foundation: 514-727-0012
• Société québécoise de la schizophrénie: 514-251-4000 x3400
• Suicide Action Montreal: 1 866 277 3553
• Suicide Prevention Service: 1 866 APPELLE
• Veterans Affairs Canada: 1 800 268-7708

If you need immediate assistance, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 27, 2022.